Corset-clasp.



No. 682,798. Patented Sept. I7, 190i;

/ E. W. GRUESCHEL.

CORSET CLASP.

(Application filed Mar. 11, 1901.]

(N0 Model.)

INVENTOR,

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

EDWIN WV. GROESOI-IEL, OF BAYONNE, NEWV JERSEY.

CORSET-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,798, dated September 17, 1901.

Application filed March 11 1901. Serial No. 50,559. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN W. GRoEsoHEL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Bayonne, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corset-Clasps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to clasps, and it has reference particularly to devices of this nature which comprise a male and a female member, the interlocking of which, upon forcing the male member into the female member, is rendered possible by virtue of theelasticity of at least one of them.

The construction of my improved clasp is such that the parts when connected are not only securely interlocked, but have a hingelike play the one on the other. By virtue of this the device is especially adapted for use in connection with corset-busks, though it may be found useful in various other adaptations.

My invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view of a pair of corset-busks provided with my improved clasp. Fig. 2 is a View substantially like Fig. 1, except that it is somewhat enlarged and illustrates a modification. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line was in Fig. .2. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating relative positions which the clasp members may assume without being separated. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 illustrate other modifications of the invention; and Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate ways in which the busks may be formed so as to impart rigidity thereto, if such be necessary.

In said drawings, a designates the busks', while b and 0 denote, respectively, the male and female members of the clasp. These members may be formed integrally with the busks, as shown in the drawings, or separately therefrom, in the latter case being adapted to be secured thereto by riveting or in any other desired manner. In some cases, and

with a die to give the proper form webs or abutments e are produced by the die at the ends of the member. The member I; has substantially the shape of the member 0, its diameter corresponding substantially to that of the inside diameter of said member a and being greater than the width of the entrance to the latter, so that when the male member is introduced into the female member it will snugly fit the same and be automatically re tained therein.

It is essential that one of the members, at least, be elastic, it being the object that the male member should be forced into the rather restricted entrance to the female member and there automatically maintained, except when the same amount of force has been again applied to displace it. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate various positions which the parts may assume without becoming separated. If desired, and with the object of increasing the resiliency of the male members, transverse portions g of the metal forming these members may be spaced from each other, such spacing being either inthe form of openings f, Fig. 7, or saw-cuts g, Fig. 9.

It may be found necessary to increase the rigidity of the busks. If so, this may be effected by forming a longitudinal bond, as at h, in each busk or by producing a longitudi nal channel 11, disposed, preferably, near its outer longitudinal edge.

In securing the parts together the female member is laid over the male member and pressed against it until sufifiicient force has been applied to crowd the male'member into the female member. Their separation is most readily effected by a force which acts to lift one end of the female member first in such manner that it finds a bearing or fulcrum at its other end.

With the object of bringing the busks closer together the members of the clasp, either or both of them, may be set back into the body of the husk, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

It will be observed that the extreme outer edge of each member a is raised appreciably above the plane of the body part of the husk. By virtue of this the busks are capable of being turned not only to the angle illustrated in Fig. 5, but also past the single or common plane position (see Fig. 4) to the angle shown in Fig. 6.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A clasp for corsets and the like consisting of a pair of fiat plate-like bodies having their adjacent portions turned off in relatively the same direction out of the planes of said bodies, each of said portions being bent into substantially the form of a longitudinally-open cylinder and one of them being adapted to receive the other, said receiving portion having its opening of less width than the cylindrical portion of the other body and also having its extreme outer longitudinal edge elevated above the plane of the correspending plate-like body, substantially as described.

2. A clasp for corsets and the-like consisting of a pair of fiat plate-like bodies having their adjacent portions turned off in relatively the same direction out of the planes of said bodies and constituting interlocking members, each of said members being bent into substantially the form of a longitudinally-open cylinder and one of them being adapted to receive the other, said receiving member having its opening of less width than the cylindrical portion of the other body and also having its extreme outer longitudinal edge elevated above the plane of the corresponding plate-like body and said other member comprising spaced transverse portions, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of March, 1901.

EDWIN W. GROESGHEL. Witnesses:

JOHN W. STEWARD, ROBERT J. PoLLITT. 

